Fire-fighting system



July 12, 1927.

, l, G. FORERO FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 24, 1923 Sheets-,Sheet 2 lNvENToR ATTORNEYS July v12, 1km.

. 1,635,180 l. G. FoRERo FIRE FIGHTING SYSIl-lll'l med Aug. 24, 192s s sheets-sheet 3.

Patented July 12, 1927. l

UNITED STATES P ISAAC eiinz'on'oitnnd 0F BOGOTA, COLOMBIA.

:FIRE-EGHTING'SYSTEM i Application led August 24, 13523. rSerial No. 659,123.

The Epresent invention relatesy to an improved lire ala'rm `and fire extinguishing system, rand includes improvements in the various devices' themselves.

One of the objects of the invention isto provide for extinguishing tires without the use of water. `A further object is to provide an adjustable thermostatic control for alarm and eXtinguiSher and a carbon dioxide alarm. 1n lighting lires,vi't is ot grea'timportance to attackft'hefireat its start. There are several decided disadvantages tothe present systems using water sprinklers cont-'rolled by vfusible'lin'ks. lThe 'nee of water causes con- Vsidera'ble damage to goods stored and may requentlyex'ceed the damage by. fire. .Vater 'is also unsuitable in combating oil fires and lfires where calcium Ac'arbiid'e or similar chemicals are present. The sprinkler systems are also designed to ope'rateat one temperature only and are not adjustable.

ln the v'a'p'plicants invention no water is used and lthe the'rniostatic'control is adjustable7 since the temperature which would indicate a -lire in an unheated 'warehouse in the winter is much 'lower than in the case 'of the same warehouse on a hot day. The invention Awill bemore fully described with reference lto the accompanying drawings 'in which Figs. land 2 showelevationsot two sidesvof the thermostatic device and vcarbon -dioxide alarm.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line Bf-S of Fig. 1. Y l

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the thermostat taken along the line 4-4 tot Fig. 3. l Y

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a central alarm board. Y- y Fig. 6 shows an elevation of the extinguishing apparatus 'and oxygen exhausting pump. l y

Fig. 7 is a section lthrough a different type of oxygen exhausting pump.

toiir thermometers 1 A-D are held in :a rectangular box 2. Three of the thermometers ,1 B-D are ofthe form. shown in Figs. Zand 4 and serve to operate the extingusher, annunciator and general alarm. One of the thermometers 1 A. is oftheA design shown in Fig. 1 and operates the bells 19 shown in Fi ing of a kU tube lled 'with mercury an. .closed by a stopper at 4. The other end is an enlarged funnel covered. by a ...ab 5 of In the embodiment shown inthe drawingA 5. -3 is acarbon'dioxide alarm, consist- 'I 'l .t u

d cuit y18v may belclosedby thesoperationro'f either `the lthermometers 1 .unglazed porcelain; gypsum or lotherporous material which permits the y*lighter fgases, suchy as onygemtopass through, but hinders the passage of carbon dioxide.. The ycontacts 6 are vsealed-in the glass of the Uv tube.

jlnzthethermometershown 1, is the main switch and athS are ,shown',in`di- .vidualy switches forthe .contacts 9, which; are sealed into the thermometer tube. lhew'jiring is'l indicated diagrammatically by broken lines, the wiresvrunnin-g. ,from they individual switches 8 through a conduit 7to.,'the bells 19, shownfin, This conduit carries the-.wires fromthe boX Q to a kcentrall .station as described below,` and v'also wires frein-.thermometerl YD fwhich. are branched `from the .conduit to connect withthereextinguishfing apparatus shown in 6i.,

The:thern'iometer.ind'cator shown in F igs. 2v and 4 consist of a` thermometer 1C'af numberfoii contactpairs 1Q sealed `inthe therniometer tube, a.slidezl11lcarryingzcontacts 12and sliding in the' slotsl 13 making lContact with certain of the plates 10 (all Iclearly shown in Figs.A 3 and Two wires run from the contacts 12,asshown in.-Fig. 4. ,The 'contacts16-1() are` in serieswith the bell 15 van'dgthe:battery 14. Inpractice itis preferable to interpose relays between -the actual alarm devices and ithe thermometer circuit in `order to protect.thelatter.

The carbo-n dioxidedndicator has .a contact 16; atthe, bottom of them'ercurycolumn and a plurality of contacts' which are 'normally abovethe.mercurycoluinn7 but which progressively kmake contactwith it'as tlie column rises dueto thetlincrea'se of thelcarbon dioxide contentin `the Aairu The, carbon dioxide indicatorfcontrols-tthebells 17, each contact f6 l controlling a .separate bell. The bells preferably have, diere'nt tones so that the amount of ,carbpndioxidein the airis indicated by thetoneof the bell. Thelowestcontact ispreferahly also, .connected with thea-nnunciator Qqwhi'ch indicates from which room the alarm ,nroce'r s;

The gaps 1n the thermometer 1 .a`re in 'circuit with the annunciator 20, 4and when closed cause that numberftfo appearwhich corresponds to the room 1n which the therlmon'ieter ispsituated. Similarly thermometer 1 D controls 'tliezlire ezctiiigiiishing device sliown ,in Fig. 6,. .The v`telephonerir- Aor 11.13,: or fthe Ori When, closed vthis circuit enablesI the sound of the bells on the board to be heard at the central telephone (.ilice.

The hre extinguishing apparatus in Fig. e' consists oi a motor 21, driving a centrifugal pump 22, having an intake througha porous procelain or gypsum block The exhaust pipe 2a extends into the open air outside the room in which the apparatus is set up. The opposite end of the motor shaft carries a bevel pinion 25, meshing with 'another bevel pinion 26,'attached to the shaft 27. rlhe upper end ot' the shal't carries a bevel pinion 28, meshinej with the bevel pinion 29 which turns a l'ork 30. 32 is a cylinder for compressed gas, and 3l is the valve of the cylinder. 33 and 34 are springs which tend to rock the shaft 2i' so as to throw the pinion 26 out of mesh. S5 is a iiexible journal, and 36 is a bumper.

The cylinder 82 is supported above a shallow open box 37 and' is inclined somewhat so that when the valve is opened the liquid carbon dioxide will be at once forced out into the box. The pipes 38 serve to carry oli a small portion oi' the liquid carbon dioxide and are preferably run around the cracks of the windows or doors of the room in `which the extinguisher is situated. Thermostatic elements may also be associated with the pipes in order to close the windows or doors. Any conventional type of thermostat or thermostatic relay may be used except that in the case of a liquid filled type a gas boiling above the boiling point of carbon dioxide must be used instead ot' a liquid.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modilied exhauster pump showing a two cylinder plunger suction pump instead ot a centrifugal pump. The particular design otl the suction pump is a conventional one, and in itseli forms no part of the applicants invention.

The operation of the system is as follows:

Each room which is to be protected has a thermal indicator and an extinguishing device. At a central part oi.: the building, for example the watchmans room, is mounted the board illustrated in Fig. 5. The slides on the thermometers are set at the desired temperature, which will in general be higher in summer than in winter. The main switch 'l' is closed and such o't the individual temperature switches 8 as are desired are also closed. In general, switches will be closed tor lower temperatures on thermometers l A and l B than on the other two thermome ters.

When a tire starts the temperature rises and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases. In the case of a smouldering fire, the temperature may not rise high enough to setoff the thermal alarms, but the increase in carbon dioxide in the air will cause the mercury column to rise in the carbon dioxide alarm 3 as the gases inside the apparatus di'ti'iuse out through the porous plate 5 faster than carbon dioxide diffuses into the apparatus, and a pressure differential arises so that the mercury column is moved and makes contact with the contacts (i. Usually, however, in case ot lire the temperature rises rapidly. As soon as the mercury columnin thermometers l A and l B reaches the tirst contact with a closed switch the circuit is completed and rings one ot the bells 19 corresponding to the particular contact 9 and also operates the annunciator 20 causing the number corresponding to the room to appear. rihe bells 19 preferably have ditierent tones so that the watchman can tell the teuq'ierature by the tones ot the bells ring.

1rihen the ten'iperature rises still turtber contact is made in the thermometers l C and l D and the various circuits are closed so that the bell l5 rings. As the telephone circuit is also closed the telephone cent yal can hear the bells and turn in an alarm in case the watchman does not respond to the call. Manual switches may be provided whereby the watchman can open the bell circuits to indicate that he is attending to the lire.

The circuit through the extinguisher is also closed, preferably through a relay, and the motor 2l is started. The shaft 27 is rotated which in turn unscrews the valve 8l of the gas cylinder 32., This cylinder ispreterably illed with a carbon dioxide. Nitrogen may also be used, but is less eiiicient than carbon dioxide since it is not so readily separated from oxygen by the exhauster. As soon the valve is opened the liquid carbondioxide is Yforced out owing to the inclination of the cylinder 32 and iills the shallow box 37 where it evaporates very rapidly due to the large surface. Part oi the liquid flows down the tubes 3S and chills them.

Then the valve 3l is completely unscrewed the shaft 2T is Yfree to .move by the pressure ot the springs 33 and 3i thereby throwing the pinion 2G out of mesh. rihe bumper 36 prevents the pinion 25 from sti-ile ing the motor.

The operation ot the exhauster is as 'tollows:

The pump creates a vacuum and as the plate E23 is pcrvious to the lighter gases, such as oxygen these are sucked out while to a large extent carbon dioxide or other heavy gases remain behind. rEhe action of the exhauster is, therefore, to rapidly decrease the content of oxygen in the room leaving carbon dioxide behind. rEhis will soouextinguish the tire because of lack of oxygen.

The use of carbon dioxide has the further advantage that as the liquefied gas expands it is powerfully cooled and portions et it may even solidify. The strong chilling has lou lio

the effect of cooling the combustible substances below the point of ignition and this aids in putting out the lire. The cold fluid in the tubes 38 tends to close any cracks around doors and windows as the moisture fronithe inrushing air freezes and forms a hermetic seal around the windows or other openings. This is of considerable importance as the operation of the pump tends to lower the pressure in the room and it is undesirable to have any air taken in from out side on 'account of the oxygen introduced. If desired, the fluid carbon dioxide may be made to operate thermostatic devices for closing windows or doors, or the thermometer circuits may be arranged to actuate an electrical closincl means for the windows or doors. rlhe carbon dioxide cylinder' is preferably placed high up as the gas is heavier tl an air and will sink on the fire as a blanket.

In the detailed description separate thermometers have been shown for ringing an alarm, vworking the annuneiator and starting the extinguishing system. rhe use of sev eral thermometers is advisable to minimize the chances of one of them failing, but a single thermometer can be used to perform the functions of the two thermometers l C and D if desired. The electrical connections have merely been indicated diagramniatical- 1y ample, the two thermometers 1 C and D may be connected in parallel so that either of them will operate the alarm and the lire ex tinguisher. Thermometer 1 A may also be lnaile to operate the annunciator in parallel with tl ermometer 1 B and other changes in electrical connections may be made where the exigencies of the particular system make them desirable. The system of the present invention is not only sullicient, but is very flexible and may be adapted to almost any building which it is desired to protect- The extinguishing agent used is unaffected by cold and is equally efficient in extinguishing the various types of fires.

lllhile one of the notable advantages of the present system is that itdoes not require water, it may be used in combination with water, if desired, and not only does not detract from the effectiveness of the water, but

vactually enhances it as the chilling resulting from the expansion and evaporating of the gas tends to freeze the water and forms coatings of ice over the combustibles. In some cases where the combustible materials are not seriously injured by water a sheath of ice may be formed by providing extensions to the carbon dioxide pipes 38 running in close proximity to the combustible material. lVhen the water is turned on the intense cold produced by the evaporation of the liquid carbon dioxide in these pipes will rapidly form a sheath of ice over the combustible material.

and may be considerably varied. For ex-y In the claims the term non-oxidizing gas is used to cover any gas which is incapable of supporting combustion as the longer expression is awkward.

I claim:

l. In a lire-fighting system` a tire-extinguishing device comprising in combination a motor, a device driven therefrom adapted to reduce the percent of oxygen in the atmosphere surrounding the fire by removing oxygen therefrom, a valved tank for compressed non-oxidizing gas, means operated by said motor for actuating the discharge valve of the tank, and conducting mea-ns from said discharge to said atmosphere.

2. In a fire fighting system, a lire-extinguishing device, comprising in combination a motor, a pump driven by the motor, an air inlet to the pump more pervious to oxygen than to carbon dioxide, and an exhaust from the pump into the open air.

3. In a lire lighting system, a fire-extinguishing device comprising in combination a motor, a pump driven by the motor, an air inlet to the pump consisting of a block of unglazed porcelain, and an exhaust from the pump into the open air.

4t. In a lire lighting system a fire extinguishing device, comprising in combination a motor, a pump driven by the motor, an air inlet to the pump consisting of a block of unglazed porcelain and an exhaustfrom the pump into the open air, a tank for compressed gas and means for discharging said tank operated by the motor, and automatic means for breaking the driving connection between the motor and the tank valve when the latter is fully opened.

5. In a fire fighting system a fire extinguishing device, comprising in combination a motor, a pump driven therefro1n,'having an inlet consisting of a porous unglazed porcelain block and an exhaust to the open air, a tank for compressed gas, a valve in said tank operated by a fork, a'shaft driving said fork through a. set of bevelled gears, said shaft being driven by the motor through a second set of bevelled gears, a flexible journal near the center of the shaft and a pair of springs tending to rock the shaft so that the second set of gea-rs are thrown out of mesh when the valve is fully opened.

6. In a lire lighting system, a fire-extinguishing device comprising in combination a motor, a pump driven therefrom, having an inlet consisting of a porous unglazed porcelain block and an exhaust to the open air, a tank for compressed non-oxidizing gas, a valve in said tank operated by the motor, a shallow pan with conducting pipes leading therefrom adapted to receive the contents of the tank when the valve is released.

In testimony whereof I aflix myr signature.

rsAAc GARZON romano. 

